As well, I'd like to add you should carry Kephera over to 100. The speed at which these can be done if someone isn't hogging them can directly level you from 80 to 100 and continue to give you your essence as a Demi.

I think a lot of the 80+ locations carry all the way to demi (if nothing else because at that point you're influencing in much more volume and at greater speed). That said the UV does especially, so I've carried them over - as well as adding in the scholar/bard tip.

I cycled around guards -> Tosha Monastery -> Caoimhe Dell -> Wydyr Glade -> Forsaken (the ones that aren't aggressive) -> All of the kephera hives. Pretty cool stuff. I can get a character to level 80 in less than a week with that cycle.

With enough Charisma and abilities in Influence, you can start guards at around level 15 (start it at around level 20 if you're not confident yet). You'll get boatloads of experience for that. Include Tosha Monastery here if you've run out of guards to influence (unlikely, but who knows!). Then start adding the rest, following the guide here.

Experience from influence slows down severely around level 60, but slowly and steadily you will get to level 80. Level 100, even, if you're patient.

I cycled around guards -> Tosha Monastery -> Caoimhe Dell -> Wydyr Glade -> Forsaken (the ones that aren't aggressive) -> All of the kephera hives. Pretty cool stuff. I can get a character to level 80 in less than a week with that cycle.

With enough Charisma and abilities in Influence, you can start guards at around level 15 (start it at around level 20 if you're not confident yet). You'll get boatloads of experience for that. Include Tosha Monastery here if you've run out of guards to influence (unlikely, but who knows!). Then start adding the rest, following the guide here.

Experience from influence slows down severely around level 60, but slowly and steadily you will get to level 80. Level 100, even, if you're patient.

What you want to look at is the main sort of influence type you're using in the areas you're influencing (or indeed aiming to influence) - then have a look at how far you need to be in the skill to have as many of the 3 influencing abilities for that type as possible.

For example, if you want to influence Lirangsha (a very high level area), which is weak to Begging, you would need to be at 0% Virtuoso to have Wheedling, which would give you all three influence abilities for that type. However, if you wanted to influence something weak to Seduction, you'd need to be up to 0% Mythical to have all three!

Most people try and aim for Praise, which is at 50% Fabled - this gives you all three influence types for all types bar Seduction, which it's quite rare for an area to be weak to. As an interim and much more achievable milestone early on, 0% Master gives you Admiration, which means you have two influence types for all bar Seduction.

Bear in mind that whilst you can influence an area with an influence type that it's not weak to, it will be nowhere near as fast.

If you can trans it, trans it. Charismaticaura gives a significant boost to influencing speed.

This. Remember the new cheap lesson packages as well; they're enough to trans a skill with a little left over, even if you're starting from nothing. Putting them into Influence, if you're planning to influence a lot, isn't the worst decision you can make. Gaining levels earns you credits which you can put into other skills, after all.

You should also consider investing in dramatics, too. The bonus to influencing from having performances active is a nice one, and a lot of the performances you'll need aren't too high up in the skill either

If you can trans it, trans it. Charismaticaura gives a significant boost to influencing speed.

This. Remember the new cheap lesson packages as well; they're enough to trans a skill with a little left over, even if you're starting from nothing. Putting them into Influence, if you're planning to influence a lot, isn't the worst decision you can make. Gaining levels earns you credits which you can put into other skills, after all.

Wouldn't it just be more effective to trans one of your main skills and bash? How much do you slow down when hitting levels 85+? I do want to influence, but it seems like you're slowing yourself down by transing a skill in order to trans your other skills (which at least would be my goal most likely).